How to Get Ahead in Television by Sophie Cousens Page B

you,’ Ian stammered, ‘I just wanted you to know that if you did want to talk about a career in banking, I am available to field questions, you know, if I can be of help.’
    â€˜Banking?’ mouthed Nick.
    â€˜No, no, Ian, that’s fine. Listen, I’ll need to call you back, this isn’t a good time I’m afraid.’
    â€˜Ah, right, well, you have my number…’ Ian trailed off.
    â€˜I do. I’ll call you, Ian. I’m sorry.’
    â€˜Okay, sure.’ Ian hung up.
    After a few minutes of awkward silence, Valerie observed in her slow, languorous tone, ‘Banking would entail a lot less driving, wouldn’t it, Poppy?’

STEP 12 – NEVER, EVER CRY
    T HE NEXT DAY , after the longest, quietest road trip of my life, and a stopover in Carlisle, our sorry little party finally arrived in a small village just north of Stirling called Balquhidder. Two fields had been packed full of Nissen huts, trailers and tents to make a temporary production base for the show.
    Rhidian and a pretty girl with black bob greeted us in the field designated ‘Car Park’.
    â€˜Hello, Ms Decouz, how was your journey?’ asked the girl, opening the door for Valerie.
    â€˜It was frightful, Trisha. Thank you for asking.’
    Rhidian started helping Nick unload his camera equipment. Trisha was about to whisk Valerie away when Valerie turned to say something to me.
    â€˜Poppy.’
    â€˜Yes, Ms Decouz.’
    â€˜However bad things may get, however awful your day may seem, try not to cry. Nothing that happens at work should ever be worth crying about.’
    â€˜Yes, sorry about yesterday, I—’
    â€˜No, it’s not about yesterday, Poppy, I’m just giving you a piece of advice for your future career. People don’t like it when you cry at work, especially as a woman. That’s one thing I’ve learnt in my forty years in the industry: never, ever cry. Don’t cry over a man, don’t cry over work – save your tears for a time when it really matters.’
    I nodded subserviently, and then Valerie was gone. I wondered what else, besides men and work, might be worth crying about in Valerie’s eyes. I mean obviously death, but that didn’t happen very often. Natalie once cried when I ate her M&Ms at school. I don’t think Valerie would have approved of that.
    â€˜Are you okay?’ Rhidian asked once they had gone.
    â€˜Thank you so much for helping me out yesterday,’ I said. ‘I’m not usually that hopeless, I just… I just haven’t driven on a motorway before and I…’
    â€˜No problem,’ Rhidian said. He looked momentarily bashful at my thanking him, but then smiled and said, ‘Don’t be too grateful, Penfold, it’s still going on my chart.’ I rolled my eyes at him. ‘The good news is, you don’t have to drive the car back, they’ve asked me to take it south tomorrow.’
    â€˜Ah good, thanks,’ I said.
    â€˜But you’re staying up here for a couple of days to help, right? Let me show you around; this production is unbelievable.’
    Rhidian looked like he’d caught a bit of a tan, even in this Scottish September sun. As he took me around the production site, I noticed how many girls said hello to him, or gave him a flirty little wave. We walked up some steps into a trailer marked ‘MAKE-UP’.
    â€˜Hey, Sonia,’ Rhidian said to a tall, thin brunette girl. She had swans tattooed on both arms and thick sweeps of eyeliner around each eye. She was wearing tiny hot pants over silver leggings with a T-shirt that said ‘My Way or the…’ and then a picture of a highway.
    â€˜Rhidian, sweetie! How are you, hun?’ Sonia gushed.
    â€˜You done with everyone’s make-up?’
    â€˜Nah, still got a few more to come through later. You want me to do you?’ Sonia stroked Rhidian’s arm playfully with a make-up